Why We Created Adventure Club

MLA’s long-awaited Adventure Club has arrived! As we gear up for our second event, what better time to celebrate all that Adventure Club has to offer, and share why we’ve added it alongside our regular programme of workshops and fitness retreats.

Adventure Club is an opportunity for all of us to step out of our comfort zones and into the ever-so-slightly unknown. It’s a space to connect with new places, new experiences, and new people. It’s a chance to build and maintain strength and fitness through varied and diverse activities that push us as much as, if not more than, our regular workout programme. Goodbye gyms and Crossfit boxes (for a few hours only, fear not!), and hello parks, lakes and maybe the odd indoor climbing wall.

Perhaps you are gearing up for future city fitness challenges, maybe you’re looking for something other than burpees in a basement gym, or it could simply be that you’re keen to find fun evenings out that don’t consist of drinking. Either way, Adventure Club ticks the boxes for some social and energetic fun both indoors and outdoors . We’ve put together a range of activities and winter fitness challenges to disconnect from your usual routine, and come alive.

We know what you’re thinking. Why launch Adventure Club now, when winter is just around the corner? We tend to think of winter as something we need to miserably endure; cold, dark days that we need to get through until the clocks go forward again in March. But here’s the thing - escaping your routine is not exclusive to the summer months. Cold weather is a cold, hard fact about living in the UK, so why not embrace it and seek out opportunities that await at only this time of year?

At MLA, physically challenging ourselves is high on our to-do list 365 days a year, so a few cold months won’t stop us from finding the next high, right here on home turf. And we’ll show you how everyone can hit pause on their city routines for some fresh country air all year round. 

Escape The City

For the majority of us city folk, even if our commitment to training is up there with the best of them, there’s no escaping the fact that most jobs confine us to desks, screens and urban environments on a daily basis, leading to a disconnect from the great outdoors and beautiful nature that surrounds us. And with the majority of outdoor activities - think water sports fun or winter climbing socials - taking place outside of major cities, you’d be forgiven for thinking you have to travel to some far-flung corners of the country in order to experience them. But you’ll be pleased to know there’s so many opportunities simply a hop, skip and a train ride away.

And yes, you could of course do all of these activities on your own, but it’s been tried, tested and proven that those who partake in group activities have more health benefits mentally, physically and emotionally, than those who pursue activities and workouts solo; a study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found a 26% reduction in stress, plus an improvement in mental, physical and emotional health, amongst people who engaged in group exercise. It’s for this reason that Adventure Club socials exist to be about so much more than the activities themselves. They’re about surrounding yourself with like-minded people in this one-of-a-kind community, who will encourage you, challenge you, and contribute to your growth and resilience across all aspects of your life.

Connection Over Convenience

It goes without saying that modern life has seen convenience become embedded into our human existence. Apps reign supreme, offering us everything we need at the click or swipe of a button. Whether it’s online shopping, digital banking or even meeting the love of our life, technology has redefined the way we live. Much of the services that offer us convenience - food delivery as opposed to cooking or dining out with friends, or streaming services versus social trips to the cinema - strip the physical human connection experience from so much of our life. When technology provides us with fast and efficient options, where is the incentive to take the path that requires a bit of effort?

Well here’s the thing - a little bit of effort teaches us that we’re capable of so much more than we thought. When we put effort into something, not only does it highlight the rewards that can be reaped when we persevere and commit to something, but it also shows us how to deal with setbacks and challenges, which inevitably will crop up.

Think of the effort you put into going to the gym. It’s not just the effort that goes into the training itself; it’s the fitting it into your schedule, the early alarm, the packing of your bag the night before, the preparing of your breakfast and lunch. Likely this level of effort and commitment was once unfathomable, but slowly it becomes a habit, day after day, week after week. There’s likely many days where it’s not convenient, but you commit, you persevere, and you see the benefits, both mentally and physically. 

If we apply this attitude to life outside of the gym also, that’s when magic can happen. Adventure Club gives us the opportunity to transfer the strength, determination and resilience that we’ve built in the gym, both the mental and the physical, to experiences out of the city and out of our comfort zones.

Not only does it further personal growth and lead to more fulfilment, it encourages us to put down our phones, close our laptops, and build new habits, at new places, with new people. We’ve seen the powerful changes that take place at our retreats when we inject some challenge into these group settings, and we can’t wait to see the transformative effects these gatherings have on our extended community.

Shorter Days, Darker Evenings, All The Fun

Needless to say, if you’re thinking that the shorter days and darker evenings mean it’s time to hit pause on exciting activities until next year, you might want to reconsider. This is your reminder that training for next year’s competitions and challenges doesn’t have to look simply like an indoor gym that you try to avoid during peak hours; it can look like winter sports or challenging yourself on a climbing wall. And when the weather permits, you can guarantee there’ll be some outdoor swimming in the mix. The activities may not be directly transferable, but the mindset that enables you to overcome your fears and step out of your comfort zone is directly transferable to how you show up for your competitions. Going far beyond exploring and training, Adventure Club will enable you to discover hidden strengths, find out what you’re truly capable of, overcome limitations and build resilience, all whilst forging strong, trusting relationships and transforming your approach to day-to-day life.

Join Adventure Club at  Our December Event

Next up in the diary - we’re getting stuck into bouldering and climbing with a fun-loving group of fellow MLA guests. Join Adventure Club’s upcoming social at Parthian Climbing in Wandsworth, a brand-new 25,000sqft facility offering a state-of-the-art climbing experience, on 13th December for an evening of fitness fun in the city. Small group coaching, climbing, bouldering, and socialising with drinks and nibbles all included (and Christmas jumpers highly encouraged!)